- Location
- The Philippines
I wonder what Atellus personally thinks of them, considering he is himself a patrician and an idealistic populist at the same time.
Res Publica: A Quest of Ancient Rome
- Thread starter Telamon
- Start date
- Original Historic
I wonder what Atellus personally thinks of them, considering he is himself a patrician and an idealistic populist at the same time.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Probably positive opinions, with a side-order of wondering why the hell more patricians with common sense didn't get behind them and push. He is, after all, eighteen. Impractical political views come with the territory.
[] Plan Long Haul
The Pompolussan Stratagem []
[] Outriders 1
[] A Matter of Allied Officers 2
[] An Army Marches On Its Stomach
--[] You take a few legionnaires with you and set about 'convincing' them to 'donate'.
[] Old One-Eye: 1
[] Bonds of Brotherhood 2
[] Brotherhood 3
[] Write Home: 4
--[] Scaevola
--[] Proserpina
[] Silver Tongues, Silver Words 5'
Ok here is my plan. I say we get ready for the long haul and prepare the siege for winter. All the other actions i do not like there chances of success. Outriders is number one since there is somewhere betwenn 200-600 men in the country side. Also try to get the Auxilia to not stab us in the back. last for the siege i am sending out towns and convince them to donate food.
For personal I am hanging out with Seritous since he is the best roman commander in Italy. Also try to get closer than both the officers and men. Since we will be in the long haul and will need to keep morale up. Now here is going to be the unpopular part here. I am writing Scaevola instead of Cicero. I know he is the thread prefered waifu but there is a good chance that Scaevola may be killed soon, maybe. Also he will know the situation in Rome better than Cicero. With Scaevola also being the best administrator we know and we can learn alot from him. Maybe make him proud with our speech. last I am spending time with the Legionaries so we can loved by them even more. So we have less chanced to be murdered outright if the men love us.
The Pompolussan Stratagem []
[] Outriders 1
[] A Matter of Allied Officers 2
[] An Army Marches On Its Stomach
--[] You take a few legionnaires with you and set about 'convincing' them to 'donate'.
[] Old One-Eye: 1
[] Bonds of Brotherhood 2
[] Brotherhood 3
[] Write Home: 4
--[] Scaevola
--[] Proserpina
[] Silver Tongues, Silver Words 5'
Ok here is my plan. I say we get ready for the long haul and prepare the siege for winter. All the other actions i do not like there chances of success. Outriders is number one since there is somewhere betwenn 200-600 men in the country side. Also try to get the Auxilia to not stab us in the back. last for the siege i am sending out towns and convince them to donate food.
For personal I am hanging out with Seritous since he is the best roman commander in Italy. Also try to get closer than both the officers and men. Since we will be in the long haul and will need to keep morale up. Now here is going to be the unpopular part here. I am writing Scaevola instead of Cicero. I know he is the thread prefered waifu but there is a good chance that Scaevola may be killed soon, maybe. Also he will know the situation in Rome better than Cicero. With Scaevola also being the best administrator we know and we can learn alot from him. Maybe make him proud with our speech. last I am spending time with the Legionaries so we can loved by them even more. So we have less chanced to be murdered outright if the men love us.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
[] Plan Digging In
-[] The Pompolussan Stratagem
-1[] Outriders
-2[] A Matter of Allied Officers
-3[] Blessed by Mars
-1[] Old One-Eye
-2[] Bonds of Brotherhood
-3[] Write Home:
---[] Scaevola
---[] Proserpina
-4[] Study Logistics
-5[] Exercise Regimen
(EDIT: considering swapping out 'Exercise Regimen' for 'Study Finance')
I am naming this plan "Digging In," to represent the intent to focus on long-term force multipliers (legion morale, staff officer performance, coordination with our auxiliaries, and our relationship with our general and our growing network of brother officers), while also laying groundwork for our physical logistical needs by clearing the area of bandits so that we can bring in supplies from a greater distance.
Similar core premises to Nurgle's plan on most things, but different emphasis.
Underlying reasoning: The Pompolussan Strategem is the least-bad strategy in that it has the lowest risk of failure. We're going to be struggling to keep our supply lines open through the winter, but then we've faced that problem before, and I hope/suspect that none of our enemies will enjoy the same margin of superior skill over us as Gemino did. Worst case, this is going to be our Valley Forge, but with skill, vigilance, and a little luck, we should be able to pull it off.
...
The main difference is that I want to try to reduce the reliance on local supplies, especially the part involving intimidation tactics. That's likely to turn the local population against us and refresh the guerillas' numbers as fast as we can sweep them up with Outriders. Not so good. I'm hoping we can make up the difference with supplies from Beneventum, or up the Via Popilia from Capua, or both. We definitely have the manpower to protect supply convoys moving along a decent road, although obviously weather is going to be an obstacle to getting them through.
For this reason, I'm replacing "An Army Marches On Its Stomach" (with troops) with "Blessed by Mars." I suspect that this action will benefit from the awesome wolf-omen we got at the Battle of the Tabelline Gate, which is a limited-time offer. We may get a permanent morale boost or other benefits from this, so I think it would be very much worth initiating, since the winter is likely to put heavy strains on our morale. Besides, it would be nice to actually bring in some of the religious stuff @Telamon 's been throwing in; we missed the chance to visit the Sibyl up in Bovianum.
...
I am in agreement with @Nurgle on three of the five personal options. Building up our relationships with both our peers and subordinates, and with Sertorius, are all important. I even agree with him about writing to Scaevola rather than Cicero, though not for exactly the same reasons.
The main area where I differ from @Nurgle is in not wanting to directly seek out as much popularity among the legion. "Brotherhood" and "Silver Tongues, Silver Words," are purely 'make the legion love us' options. We're already popular and respected, and that respect is unlikely to shift. If we run around specifically trying to build up our popularity, it will look to Sertorius a lot like we're trying to wiggle influence over his legion out from under him, and he's not going to like that.
I would much rather focus on something that grants us XP directly, like "Study Logistics," since logistics are likely to be a cornerstone of our operations for the coming winter. Also, studying it repeatedly on successive opportunities may grant us extra bonuses, from what Telamon has said, and studying logistics in the presence of a master general like Sertorius, who we are in the process of befriending, may grant further benefits, so there's likely to be synergy there.
I'm also curious about probable results of an exercise regimen, so I'm throwing that in (may be convinced to swap this out for another priority, especially "Study Finance").
REDUNDANT:
I would also like to FINALLY get some mileage out of those four useless layabout tribunes, because I strongly suspect that it will unlock extra actions, and our action economy being so cramped is very frustrating. Being one out of 1.5 tribunes Sertorius has is forcing us to completely neglect things like training the men, making sure their equipment is maintained, and so on. Yes, the centurions can do those things, but having an undifferentiated mass of sixty centurions all reporting to Sertorius is... suboptimal. A good staff is a force multiplier for a good general, and Sertorius is a good general whose only good staff officer is us.
BUT I don't think it's worth prioritizing that over "Blessed by Mars," sigh.
-[] The Pompolussan Stratagem
-1[] Outriders
-2[] A Matter of Allied Officers
-3[] Blessed by Mars
-1[] Old One-Eye
-2[] Bonds of Brotherhood
-3[] Write Home:
---[] Scaevola
---[] Proserpina
-4[] Study Logistics
-5[] Exercise Regimen
(EDIT: considering swapping out 'Exercise Regimen' for 'Study Finance')
I am naming this plan "Digging In," to represent the intent to focus on long-term force multipliers (legion morale, staff officer performance, coordination with our auxiliaries, and our relationship with our general and our growing network of brother officers), while also laying groundwork for our physical logistical needs by clearing the area of bandits so that we can bring in supplies from a greater distance.
Similar core premises to Nurgle's plan on most things, but different emphasis.
Underlying reasoning: The Pompolussan Strategem is the least-bad strategy in that it has the lowest risk of failure. We're going to be struggling to keep our supply lines open through the winter, but then we've faced that problem before, and I hope/suspect that none of our enemies will enjoy the same margin of superior skill over us as Gemino did. Worst case, this is going to be our Valley Forge, but with skill, vigilance, and a little luck, we should be able to pull it off.
...
The main difference is that I want to try to reduce the reliance on local supplies, especially the part involving intimidation tactics. That's likely to turn the local population against us and refresh the guerillas' numbers as fast as we can sweep them up with Outriders. Not so good. I'm hoping we can make up the difference with supplies from Beneventum, or up the Via Popilia from Capua, or both. We definitely have the manpower to protect supply convoys moving along a decent road, although obviously weather is going to be an obstacle to getting them through.
For this reason, I'm replacing "An Army Marches On Its Stomach" (with troops) with "Blessed by Mars." I suspect that this action will benefit from the awesome wolf-omen we got at the Battle of the Tabelline Gate, which is a limited-time offer. We may get a permanent morale boost or other benefits from this, so I think it would be very much worth initiating, since the winter is likely to put heavy strains on our morale. Besides, it would be nice to actually bring in some of the religious stuff @Telamon 's been throwing in; we missed the chance to visit the Sibyl up in Bovianum.
...
I am in agreement with @Nurgle on three of the five personal options. Building up our relationships with both our peers and subordinates, and with Sertorius, are all important. I even agree with him about writing to Scaevola rather than Cicero, though not for exactly the same reasons.
The main area where I differ from @Nurgle is in not wanting to directly seek out as much popularity among the legion. "Brotherhood" and "Silver Tongues, Silver Words," are purely 'make the legion love us' options. We're already popular and respected, and that respect is unlikely to shift. If we run around specifically trying to build up our popularity, it will look to Sertorius a lot like we're trying to wiggle influence over his legion out from under him, and he's not going to like that.
I would much rather focus on something that grants us XP directly, like "Study Logistics," since logistics are likely to be a cornerstone of our operations for the coming winter. Also, studying it repeatedly on successive opportunities may grant us extra bonuses, from what Telamon has said, and studying logistics in the presence of a master general like Sertorius, who we are in the process of befriending, may grant further benefits, so there's likely to be synergy there.
I'm also curious about probable results of an exercise regimen, so I'm throwing that in (may be convinced to swap this out for another priority, especially "Study Finance").
REDUNDANT:
I would also like to FINALLY get some mileage out of those four useless layabout tribunes, because I strongly suspect that it will unlock extra actions, and our action economy being so cramped is very frustrating. Being one out of 1.5 tribunes Sertorius has is forcing us to completely neglect things like training the men, making sure their equipment is maintained, and so on. Yes, the centurions can do those things, but having an undifferentiated mass of sixty centurions all reporting to Sertorius is... suboptimal. A good staff is a force multiplier for a good general, and Sertorius is a good general whose only good staff officer is us.
BUT I don't think it's worth prioritizing that over "Blessed by Mars," sigh.
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- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
[facepalms]
Dammit, you're right. Got mixed up. Fixing.
EDIT: There, swapped it out for Exercise Regimen, an option I'm curious about because it doesn't tie to any one of our skill XP stats as obviously, so its effects are liable to be something other than 'grind XP.'
Dammit, you're right. Got mixed up. Fixing.
EDIT: There, swapped it out for Exercise Regimen, an option I'm curious about because it doesn't tie to any one of our skill XP stats as obviously, so its effects are liable to be something other than 'grind XP.'
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Can I suggest your last Personal action be 'Study Finance'? Now's our chance to earn some XP and boost our skill above abysmal...
EDIT: also, while our spy mistress is useful, I don't think it can compare to the outstanding response we got from Cicero -- both in XP and in terms of useful content about the goings-on in Rome. Maintaining that correspondence should be one of our top priorities.
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- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
I am strongly considering this.
Consider me almost-convinced to make that change. Might synergize with writing letters to Scaevola. I'm teetering on the edge here, and likely to actually put that into the voting-with-Xs version of the plan that I'll be posting in about 5-6 hours. I may even be convinced sooner.
Recommendation #2: I strongly urge you to swap out Proserpina for Cicero.
Besides the lovely XP we earned (especially XP to our Intelligence stat, which gives bonuses to pretty much everything), it also gave us more insight into the goings-on in Rome, and into Cicero's mind. He is considered the greatest letter-writer in history for a reason...
Also, remember that we didn't get any XP from Proserpina's letters. Last time we failed a skill check, so we didn't get the real secret message of her letter.
Besides the lovely XP we earned (especially XP to our Intelligence stat, which gives bonuses to pretty much everything), it also gave us more insight into the goings-on in Rome, and into Cicero's mind. He is considered the greatest letter-writer in history for a reason...
Also, remember that we didn't get any XP from Proserpina's letters. Last time we failed a skill check, so we didn't get the real secret message of her letter.
We're still stuck at 6 Subterfuge, so we're still set to fail the skill check. Let's correspond with someone useful.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Hm, that's also a good point. We might well be able to double down on our XP gain from letter-writing in this way, and in areas it's hard for us to train during a military campaign, too.
Though I find it depressing that we're so inept at Subterfuge that we can't even use the information our grand-mistress-of-espionage servant is giving us.
...
Suffice to say, Publicola, that if I see signs of anyone else concurring with these proposals (and it is not unlikely), I will make the changes. Or I may make them in several hours after I've gotten a bit more sleep on it.
The changes in question being:
1) Swap out "Exercise Regimen" for "Study Finance" as personal priority #5, and...
2) Swap out "Scaevola and Proserpina" for "Scaevola and Cicero" in our letter-writing campaign.
Though I find it depressing that we're so inept at Subterfuge that we can't even use the information our grand-mistress-of-espionage servant is giving us.
...
Suffice to say, Publicola, that if I see signs of anyone else concurring with these proposals (and it is not unlikely), I will make the changes. Or I may make them in several hours after I've gotten a bit more sleep on it.
The changes in question being:
1) Swap out "Exercise Regimen" for "Study Finance" as personal priority #5, and...
2) Swap out "Scaevola and Proserpina" for "Scaevola and Cicero" in our letter-writing campaign.
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Oh, @Simon_Jester, don't forget to include a 'spend 950 XP on Diplomacy' option in your vote; I'm pretty sure that's allowed whenever we want, but we have to include it.
@ everyone else... does anyone want to chip in with their thoughts on the two changes I suggested above?
@ everyone else... does anyone want to chip in with their thoughts on the two changes I suggested above?
I certainly second them.Hm, that's also a good point. We might well be able to double down on our XP gain from letter-writing in this way, and in areas it's hard for us to train during a military campaign, too.
Though I find it depressing that we're so inept at Subterfuge that we can't even use the information our grand-mistress-of-espionage servant is giving us.
...
Suffice to say, Publicola, that if I see signs of anyone else concurring with these proposals (and it is not unlikely), I will make the changes. Or I may make them in several hours after I've gotten a bit more sleep on it.
The changes in question being:
1) Swap out "Exercise Regiment" for "Study Finance" as personal priority #5, and...
2) Swap out "Scaevola and Proserpina" for "Scaevola and Cicero" in our letter-writing campaign.
- Location
- Europe
Cicero has a pretty high DC for a relatively negligible reward. I'm not sure if it is necessarily worth choosing him over someone else.
Obviously we should spend the 950 Exp. What are they there for otherwise? Especially since we want to buddy up with the Hirpini.
And finance... I don't consider it pressing and I'm wondering what the exercise regimen would bring us.
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- Location
- Budget Quota Hell
I concur with the decision to replace "An Army Marches on its Stomach". We're looking to have a protracted siege (unless Mercator wins somehow) and the last thing we want is to antagonize settlements who might still swing to our enemies, especially when Medix is right over there openly defying us. Should Nurgle remove the "strong-arming them with legionnaires" sub-option, I feel it would be far more palatable.
That said, I don't know about the Blessed by Mars deal. Sure it makes sense, but I believe winning over the Hirpini, who number 3k, is a bigger priority. With the Hirpini, we number around 7 to 8k to Medix's 3 to 4k. Should they leave, the numbers narrow, and should they defect, well...
I concur with Publicola's proposal. Until we've got diehard loyalists we could entrust our finances to, we should at least strive to be passable at it. Cicero's also am excellent source of XP and keeps us up to date with the happenings in Rome.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Okay, here's my first voteworthy iteration. Please note that I'm going to be effectively AFK for most of the next twelve hours or so starting in half an hour, so I'll try to take note of people's opinions then, but cannot do so immediately
[X] Plan Digging In
-[X] Spend 950 free XP on Diplomacy to level up
-[X] The Pompolussan Stratagem
-[1] Outriders
-[2] A Matter of Allies
-[3] Blessed by Mars
-[1] Old One-Eye
-[2] Bonds of Brotherhood
-[3] Write Home:
--[X] Scaevola
--[X] Cicero
-[4] Study Logistics
-[5] Study Finance
Note that I'm listing it as fifth priority for a reason; it is NOT a given that the thing we list in fifth place will actually get done according to plan.
I mean, it's reasonable to consider them that important, but I don't think they're on the brink of desertion or anything, so while building up our ties to them is important, it's not literally the only important thing we're doing.
The best argument I can think of is that we should switch out "A Matter of Allied Officers" for "A Matter of Allies." Being as how...
1) It MAY be that our Diplomacy bonus doesn't level up until after this turn full of rolls depending on how @Telamon adjudicates actions (this is important to know, boss, can you tell us?).
2) This turn and next turn only we have bonuses to Roman morale actions from the Badass Wolf Omen (which this might be, if we focus on our own troops and not the Hirpini themselves).
3) This turn only we still have an Enemy of the Samnites malus working against our diplomacy check, whereas next turn it will evaporate as long as we commit no new offenses against the Samnite people (like bringing a cohort around to rough up villagers and extort their food).
And you know, I think I will make that change.
[X] Plan Digging In
-[X] Spend 950 free XP on Diplomacy to level up
-[X] The Pompolussan Stratagem
-[1] Outriders
-[2] A Matter of Allies
-[3] Blessed by Mars
-[1] Old One-Eye
-[2] Bonds of Brotherhood
-[3] Write Home:
--[X] Scaevola
--[X] Cicero
-[4] Study Logistics
-[5] Study Finance
Okay, suggest someone then, or craft a plan that chooses someone. It seems likely that any XP we gain from writing letters will be on similar terms- we'll have to pass a DC. No effort, no reward. Do you have anyone in mind who's likely to give us better benefits, since it's likely we'll be writing to at least Scaevola anyway? Proserpina didn't give us any XP, as far as I can tell we didn't even get a roll from her letter last time.
Okay, craft a plan. I respect your desire to have that change.
Note that I'm listing it as fifth priority for a reason; it is NOT a given that the thing we list in fifth place will actually get done according to plan.
I already commit an action to relations with the Hirpini, and it's a higher priority action than "Blessed by Mars." Are you proposing that we spend two actions on ties with the Hirpini?
I mean, it's reasonable to consider them that important, but I don't think they're on the brink of desertion or anything, so while building up our ties to them is important, it's not literally the only important thing we're doing.
The best argument I can think of is that we should switch out "A Matter of Allied Officers" for "A Matter of Allies." Being as how...
1) It MAY be that our Diplomacy bonus doesn't level up until after this turn full of rolls depending on how @Telamon adjudicates actions (this is important to know, boss, can you tell us?).
2) This turn and next turn only we have bonuses to Roman morale actions from the Badass Wolf Omen (which this might be, if we focus on our own troops and not the Hirpini themselves).
3) This turn only we still have an Enemy of the Samnites malus working against our diplomacy check, whereas next turn it will evaporate as long as we commit no new offenses against the Samnite people (like bringing a cohort around to rough up villagers and extort their food).
And you know, I think I will make that change.
- Location
- Budget Quota Hell
Damn, missed that. Yeah, I'm good with the plan, whether we focus on the officers or their rank and file.
Should we focus on the officers, it might work because we can make a focused effort on fewer individuals. Fewer individuals to bribe, cajole, and befriend, and their men are likely to follow suit.
On the other hand, I feel that the Hirpini soldiery and our legionnaires would be more susceptible to our speechcraft, and honestly, if we're going to be besieging Nola for awhile, then we might as well bring the Hirpini onboard comprehensively as quick as we can.
I mean, Himatus' involvement helped win us Bovianum, and provided modifiers in our fight against Gemino. Befriending Veniximaeus opened more options and literally makes them fight better under our command.
Either way, I'm alright with the plan as it is.
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- Location
- Toronto
[x] Plan Wait Out The Winter And Be Productive
-[x] Spend 950 free XP on Diplomacy to level up
-[x]The Carcellan Stratagem
--[x] You suggest planting men on the roads in order to ensure their food supply is cut off, and placing scouts to watch the city for any sorties.
-[x] Siege
--[1] Outriders
--[2] A Matter of Allied Officers
--[3] Blessed By Mars
-[x] Personal
--[1] Old One-Eye
--[2] Bonds of Brotherhood
--[3] Write Home
---[x] Scaevola
---[x] Cicero
--[4] Expand Journal
--[5] Study Logistics
So, this is the plan I presented earlier, mostly unchanged, and relies on the Caracallan strategy. I think it's the most efficient sieging strategy, though also the most conservative. I've come around to worshiping Mars.
-[x] Spend 950 free XP on Diplomacy to level up
-[x]The Carcellan Stratagem
--[x] You suggest planting men on the roads in order to ensure their food supply is cut off, and placing scouts to watch the city for any sorties.
-[x] Siege
--[1] Outriders
--[2] A Matter of Allied Officers
--[3] Blessed By Mars
-[x] Personal
--[1] Old One-Eye
--[2] Bonds of Brotherhood
--[3] Write Home
---[x] Scaevola
---[x] Cicero
--[4] Expand Journal
--[5] Study Logistics
So, this is the plan I presented earlier, mostly unchanged, and relies on the Caracallan strategy. I think it's the most efficient sieging strategy, though also the most conservative. I've come around to worshiping Mars.
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[X] Plan Long Haul
The Pompolussan Stratagem []
[X] Outriders 1
[X] A Matter of Allied Officers 2
[X] An Army Marches On Its Stomach
--[X] You take a few legionnaires with you and set about 'convincing' them to 'donate'.
[X] Old One-Eye: 1
[X] Bonds of Brotherhood 2
[X] Brotherhood 3
[X] Study Finance 4
[X] Write Home
--[X] Cicero
--[X] Volero
-[X] Use exp to get Diplomacy to level 10
Ok made a few changes to my plan by adding another write in and Studying finance. Also teh exp for diplomacy.
The Pompolussan Stratagem []
[X] Outriders 1
[X] A Matter of Allied Officers 2
[X] An Army Marches On Its Stomach
--[X] You take a few legionnaires with you and set about 'convincing' them to 'donate'.
[X] Old One-Eye: 1
[X] Bonds of Brotherhood 2
[X] Brotherhood 3
[X] Study Finance 4
[X] Write Home
--[X] Cicero
--[X] Volero
-[X] Use exp to get Diplomacy to level 10
Ok made a few changes to my plan by adding another write in and Studying finance. Also teh exp for diplomacy.
